Citizens ask for independent investigations into ‘rigged’ CSI, Eliborio Rodrigues shooting death

Citizens called for an independent investigation into the City for a process they said was “rigged” and to re-examine the EPD shooting of Eliborio Rodrigues, based on new reports of police misconduct.

Ben Christiansen: [00:00:16] In a year when we saw a record number of protests calling for the defunding of the police and to have money divested into other services, the City Council and the city officials decided the only way that they could ensure the majority of the money would go to the police, was to ensure that this process was rigged from the start.

The city appoints people who have clear conflicts of interest, that are pro-police, to oversee the entire process, to ensure that the lion’s share of the money of this new tax goes directly into the police’s budget.

I’m calling for a detailed investigation from an independent third party into the people involved, the clear pattern of corruption, conflicts of interest, and blatant disregard for both ethics and morals, up to and including potential nepotism.

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John Q: [00:00:51] Sarah Lamog also spoke about the new payroll tax, which is called the CSI or Community Safety Initiative..

Sarah Lamog: [00:00:59] I have grave concerns regarding the entire CSI oversight process and proposed budget allocation of funds. It has come to my attention that the CSI manager is the same Kevin Alltucker, who was also the lead staff for the ad hoc committee on police policy, and married to Irene Alltucker, director of the Eugene Police Foundation. Kevin and Irene Alltucker are walking conflicts of interest. Fire Kevin Alltucker and enable an independent commission to investigate and provide a full public accountability of how this oversight was even allowed to happen. Three, the suspension of all CSI fund disbursements to EPD until the independent commission has presented its findings. And four, that Chief Skinner be fired for turning a blind eye to this conflict of interest, especially when he claims to be such a proponent of transparency.

Zondie Zinke: [00:01:55] Also I’ve been made to learn that the chief staff person of the CSI review is married to the director of the Eugene Police Foundation.

Xia Wang: [00:02:05] Kevin Alltucker plays a very important role to lead this project. He will make a recommendation to council on the allocation for the CSI in response to the community engagement. However, Kevin’  spouse, Irene Alltucker, is the director over the Eugene police foundation whose stated mission is to organize actual budgetary gifts to EPD.

Irene Alltucker is also vice-president of real estate at the Obie Companies, a local property developer and a  manager. Obie Companies is also the main donor for Councilor Clark’s campaign. Kevin Alltucker, Irene Alltucker’s spouse, manages the CSI project for the City since before its passage.

Via payroll tax, the CSI represents over $15.3 million from the working people for Eugene to EPD. It’s just a small part of a conflict of interest and uncovered corruption at the center of this work from the beginning.  Kevin Alltucker and Chief Skinner need to be fired.

Rob Fisette: [00:03:05] The Eugene Police Foundation, like police foundations everywhere, is organized explicitly to fundraise for gifts to the Eugene Police Department for equipment, technology, and toys not otherwise funded for the ordinary EPD budget. The director of that foundation is married to the city staff person managing the CSI, which then allocated a gift of over $15 million from the workers in Eugene to EPD for equipment, technology, and toys, not funded through the ordinary budget.

Before the CSI passed, council commissioned a poll of citizens asking their foremost concerns. The results couldn’t have been more clear: Homelessness, homelessness, homelessness. More policing wasn’t even a blip. And then boom, 65 percent of the CSI funds, over $15 million directly from the worker’s paychecks, to explode the EPD budget for toys like their shiny new hyper surveillance RV.

We’re talking about $15 to $19 million to be stolen from the workers in the city to fund more policing that citizens don’t want, obtained fraudulently, due to this conflict of interest to EPD, EPF, the property developers and corporate interests that need violence to defend the unequal wealth that they extract.

John Q : [00:04:16] Tyler Stewart asked the City to reopen an investigation into the EPD shooting of Eliborio Rodriguez, given new information about police misconduct.

Tyler Stewart: [00:04:28] I was disturbed to read the article in today’s Oregonian detailing this conduct by UO PD Officer Troy Phillips against Eliborio Rodriguez and the not-lawful stop. Rodriguez was shot by EPD five days after Officer Phillips was fired by the U of O. The stop by EPD is one that many would argue they didn’t have reasonable suspicion to stop. I urge our city to commence a truly independent investigation into the shooting death of Eliborio Rodrigues by EPD. What happened to Eliborio was not right, and I don’t think we have the full story. We need a second look.

Maria: [00:05:11] My name is Maria. For too long, police departments across the country have avoided accountability for the harm they have caused. Last week. Minneapolis police were held criminally accountable when Derek Chauvin was convicted on all three counts of the murder of George Floyd.

But at a time when the eyes of the world are scrutinizing U.S. policing, police officers continue to brutalize and kill people. Since the end of March law enforcement officers have killed over 60 people, including a person with mental illness to our north in Portland, and two children: 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant in Ohio and 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Illinois.

This cannot continue. Here in Eugene, we’ve had our own tragedies and now you have the opportunity to help make real changes in our community and hold the police accountable. The Ad Hoc Committee on Police Policy has been working for months to create recommendations for the Eugene Police Department. The committee is made up of members representing communities of color and other marginalized populations who are most harmed by police brutality. I urge you to take seriously their recommendations and pressure the Eugene Police Department to adopt them. Words are not enough. Take action to show the marginalized and vulnerable members of our community that you actually care about keeping them safe.